This document concerns an invention relating generally to methods and apparata for shipping and displaying flora (particularly cut flowers), and more specifically to shipping and display systems made of paperboard which are suitable for mail or common courier shipment, and/or retail display, of one or more bouquets.
As noted, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,799 to De Pager, it is common to ship flora (i.e., flowers or other plants) in water-filled buckets, or in water-filled cardboard boxes treated with wax or plastic for water resistance, wherein a cardboard box is simply fitted over the flora-bearing bucket or box to protect it during shipment. Once the packed flora reaches its destination, the outer box is removed from the inner flora-bearing container so that the flora can be accessed. As noted in De Pager, and as well known in the trade, such arrangements are imperfect because they are expensive (in both material and shipping costs), they result in spillage/leakage, they do not adequately protect the flora from shipping damage, and the unattractive nature of the inner flora-bearing container generally requires that the flora be removed from the container and transferred to a more attractive container for display or marketing purposes. It would therefore be useful to have available methods and apparata for shipping and display of flora wherein the flora may be shipped in a hydrated state (i.e., wherein they have access to water to prevent drying out); wherein water spillage/leakage and plant damage is deterred or avoided entirely; and wherein the shipped flora are instantaneously (or nearly so) ready for display once shipping is completed.
The invention involves a container for shipping and/or display of flora which is intended to at least partially solve the aforementioned problems. To give the reader a basic understanding of some of the advantageous features of the invention, following is a brief summary of certain preferred versions of the invention. As this is merely a summary, it should be understood that more details regarding the preferred versions may be found in the Detailed Description set forth elsewhere in this document. The claims set forth at the end of this document then define the various versions of the invention in which exclusive rights are secured.
As exemplified by the exploded assemblies depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, a container 200/300 for shipping and/or display of flora includes an inner receptacle 210/310 which is capable of holding liquid without substantial leakage, so that flowers and water may be placed therein; an outer shipping and display sleeve 270/370 which protects the flowers and inner receptacle 210/310 during shipping and display; and a holding unit 240/340 which supports the inner receptacle 210/310 within the outer sleeve 270/370 during shipping and display. Each of these componentsxe2x80x94which are preferably formed of paperboard (i.e., paper, cardboard, or other lignocellulosic materials provided in sheet form or formable into thin walls, including lignocellulosic/plastic composites)xe2x80x94will now be discussed in turn.
The liquid-retaining inner receptacle 210/310 has a receptacle top 212/312 having a top receptacle opening 214/314 wherein flowers may be inserted, and an opposing receptacle bottom 216/316. As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner receptacle 210/310 may take a variety of forms, with FIG. 2 depicting an arrangement which is particularly useful for shipment of bulk cut flowers or flower bouquets for later display and resale, and FIG. 3 depicting an arrangement which is particularly useful for shipment of arranged flowers in ready-to-display form.
The holding unit 240/340 has a holding unit top 242/342, an opposing holding unit bottom 244/344, and circumferential holding unit sides 246/346 extending therebetween. A holding unit top 242/342 opening sized for insertion of the receptacle bottom 216/316 is defined in the holding unit top 242/342, allowing the receptacle bottom 216/316 to be fit into the holding unit top 242/342 so that flowers situated in the inner receptacle 210/310 will be supported within the holding unit 240/340 to extend upwardly through the holding unit top opening 214/314. As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the holding unit 240/340 may take a variety of forms depending on the configuration of the inner receptacle 210/310 and on other factors.
The outer sleeve 270/370 has outer sleeve sidewalls 272/372 separated by outer sleeve corners 274/374, with the outer sleeve sidewalls 272/372 extending between an outer sleeve top 276/376 and an opposing outer sleeve bottom 278/378, and surrounding an outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 extending therebetween. The outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 is sized to closely receive the holding unit 240/340 therein with the holding unit sides 246/346 resting closely adjacent the outer sleeve sidewalls 272/372. The outer sleeve sidewalls 272/372 have engaging tabs 286/386 defined therein which are foldable into the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 to support the holding unit 240/340 within the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380. The engaging tabs 286/386 are preferably defined on the outer sleeve corners 274/374, and extend across at least two adjacent outer sleeve sidewalls 272/372, for durability and strength of support. The outer sleeve top 276/376 preferably has foldable closure flaps 282/382 extending therefrom so that they may be folded shut to protect flowers situated in the inner receptacle 210/310 and holding unit 240/340. In contrast, the outer sleeve 270/370bottom preferably defines a terminal end of the outer sleeve sidewalls 272/372 so that the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 remains permanently open at the outer sleeve 270/370 bottom, thereby allowing easy insertion and/or removal of the holding unit 240/340 within the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 when desired by simply placing the outer sleeve 270/370 bottom over the holding unit 240/340, or lifting the outer sleeve 270/370 off the holding unit 240/340. However, in cases where it is desirable to band the container 200/300 shut (as depicted in FIG. 1), it can be useful to provide foldable bottom flaps 284/384 on portions of the outer sleeve 270/370 bottom, with the bottom flaps 284/384 preferably being spaced from the outer sleeve corners 274/374.
In use, the inner receptacle 210/310 can be fully or partially filled with water, and flower stems can be inserted into the top receptacle opening 214/314 so that the flowers are situated upright. The inner receptacle 210/310 can then be inserted within the holding unit 240/340 (if not already installed therein) by placing it into the holding unit top 242/342 opening (with the inner receptacle 210/310 and flowers oriented upright). The holding unit 240/340 can then be installed within the outer sleeve 270/370 by placing the outer sleeve 270/370 over the holding unit 240/340 from the outer sleeve 270/370 bottom, or by placing the holding unit 240/340 into the outer sleeve top 276/376, so that the holding unit 240/340 is situated within the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 adjacent the outer sleeve 270/370 bottom. If desired, the engagement tabs 286/386 might then be folded into the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380 so that the holding unit 240/340 is supported at its holding unit top 242/342 from moving upwardly within the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380. The outer sleeve 270/370 can be banded about its height (as illustrated in FIG. 1) by a plastic or metal strip, tape, string, or some other form of band 102 so that the holding unit 240/340 is also supported at its holding unit bottom 244/344 from falling downwardly out of the outer sleeve interior passage 280/380. The flowers are then securely maintained within the container 200/300 and can be safely shipped.
When the container 200/300 arrives at its destination, the band 102 may be cut or otherwise removed, and the outer sleeve 270/370 may be lifted off of the holding unit 240/340 to leave the flowers resting upright within the inner receptacle 210/310 and holding unit 240/340. The flowers can then be displayed in this form (with prior removal of the holding unit 240/340 if desired). However, as depicted by the exemplary arrangement in FIG. 4, the flowers might also be displayed by then inserting the holding unit 240/340 into the outer sleeve top 276/376 until the holding unit bottom 244/344 is supported on the engaging tabs 286/386, with the inner sleeve then acting as a pedestal for supporting the holding unit 240/340.